Overbed table



April 1968 c. J. BARECKI ETAL 3,380,405

OVERBED TABLE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 25, 1966 INVENTORS Chester J. Boreckl Jllb'ru, Mama M2 ATTORNEYS Frans Semplonius P 1968 c. J. BARECKI ETAL 3,380,405

OVERBED TABLE Filed Nov. 25, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 1-;

37 1/ 37 Z5312 g 11. I5 38 I5 5 25 I6 26 l5 C FIG. 8

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INVENTORS Chester J. Bor ecki Frans Sempldnius ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,380,405 OVERBED TABLE Chester J. Barecki, Grand Rapids, and Frans Semplonius,

Wyoming, Mich., assignors to American Seating Company, Grand Rapids, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Filed Nov. 25, 1966, Ser. No. 597,067

2 Claims. (Cl. 108-136) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The overbed table comprises an inner column supported upon a mobile base and outer column telescopically receiving the inner column and supporting a laterallyextending table, cooperating locking means being provided within the columns, permitting the outer column to be moved freely upwardly but preventing downward movement, unlocking levers extending from the outer column at the top thereof and opposite the laterally-extending table movable only in an upward direction for releasing the locking means to permit downward movement of the table and outer column.

This invention relates to an overbed table, and is particularly useful with hospital beds employing electric lift means.

When an overbed table is employed with a hospital bed equipped with electric lifting means for lifting the patientcarrying portion of the bed upwardly, it is of great importance that the overbed table move freely upwardly so as to prevent injury to the patient, while at the same time it is important that lever or control means be located at a point accessible to the nurse as well as to the patient for the proper placing of the table relative to the patient. It is also important that the lever or other control means provide a rigid support when grasped or leaned on by a patient when standing beside the table.

A primary object of the present invention is to provide a structure which satisfies the above conditions providing an unlocking lever means which yields only in an upward direction and provides a firm support when a patient rests against it. Yet another object is to provide in such a table structure locking means which yields to permit free upward movement of the outer column while yielding to permit downward movement of the outer column when a control lever is raised. A still further object is to provide in a telescoping inner and outer column structure table support means at the top of the outer column for supporting a table laterally of the column while providing on the side of the column opposite the laterally-extending table lever arms extending from the column adjacent the top thereof and movable only in an upward direction for releasing the locking means. Other specific objects and advantages will appear as the specification proceeds.

The invention is shown, in an illustrative embodiment, by the accompanying drawings, in which FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an overbed table structure embodying our invention; FIG. 2, an end view in elevation, one of the lever members being raised to unlock locking mechanism within the columns; FIG. 3, a view similar to FIG. 1 but showing the table in lowered position; FIG. 4, a broken perspective view showing the inner column; FIG. 5, a fragmentary perspective view of the top portion of the outer column with the mechanism in locked position; FIG. 6, a view similar to FIG. 5 with one lever raised to unlock the locking mechanism; FIG. 7, a top plan view of the structure shown in FIG. 5 showing the inner column inside of the outer column; FIG. 8, a sectional detail view, the section being taken as indicated at line 8-8 of FIG. 9; FIG. 9, a broken vertical sectional view of the structure shown in FIG. 7, the

' 3,380,405 Patented Apr. 30, 1968 mechanism being shown in locked position; and FIG. 10, a view similar to FIG. 9 but showing the mechanism in unlocked position.

The overbed table structure comprises a base A on which is fixed an inner column B which is telescopically received within an outer column C. The outer column C is provided at its top and extending along one side thereof with a table support channel 11 on which rests a table 12.

The base A is preferably U-shaped, as shown best in FIGS. 1 and 3, and may be provided with rollers 13 or other anti-friction means.

The inner column B, as shown best in FIG. 4, is provided with a generally rectangular casing 14 provided at its sides with anti-friction rollers 15, and suspended along the back of the casing is a floating locking bar 16. As shown best in FIG. 9, the top portion of the bar is supported by a rivet member 17 which extends within a slot 18 in the casing 14 and which permits slightly lateral movement of the locking bar 16, as will be described later in detail.

We prefer to equip the inner column B with a pair of constant tension springs 19 which have their outer ends secured to a mounting plate 20. The constant tension springs are well-known means for causing two telescop ing parts to move evenly with respect to each other, the springs tending to wind up because of internal stresses on the springs. Since this structure is well known in the trade, a further detailed description herein is believed unnecessary.

In order to secure the ends of springs 19 to the outer column when the parts are assembled, we employ screws 21 which are only partly tightened, as shown best in FIG. 4, and when the casings B and C are brought together, as shown best in FIGS. 9 and 10, the partlytightened screws 21 enter narrow slots 22 in the casing wall 23 of the outer column C and the screws 21 may then be tightened to secure the casings together. We prefer also to add two additional screws 24 and these also may be tightened so that the springs, the mounting plate 20, and the casings may be rigidly secured together.

To lock the members B and C together, we provide in conjunction with the floating bar 16 a stop block or cylindrical block 25 on one side of the floating bar, and on the other side we provide a latch bar 26 mounted on pivot 27. The latch bar 26 is provided on its inner side with teeth engageable with the floating bar 16, and when the bar is wedged against the block 25, the toothed bar 26 prevents downward movement of the outer column C.

For unlocking the latch bar 26, we provide a verticallyextending rod 28 which is pivotally connected to the outer end of the latch bar 26 and has an extension which is engaged by spring 29 secured at its lower end by pin 30. A similar spring 31 engages the latch bar 26 and is secured at its lower end to pin 32.

The upper end of rod 28 is turned laterally and extended through a plate 33, the end of the rod being threaded to receive a securing nut 34. The plate 33 is carried by a U-shaped rocker arm 35 pivotally mounted on cross bar 36. With the structure shown, when the rocker arm 35 is raised, the rod 28 is elevated and the latch bar 26 is released, as shown best in FIG. 10.

-In order to raise the rocker arm 35, we employ two levers 37 which extend laterally from the column C and are then turned in parallel with the end of the column C. Each of the levers 37 extends through the outer casing 38 of the column C and thence through sleeve members 39, the inner ends of the levers 37 extending through openings in a cross brace 40, as shown best in FIG. 7. The levers are secured within the sleeves or bushings 39 by means of roll pins 41. Fixed to the rotatable sleeves 39 are lever members 42 which carry lift members 43 formed of nylon or other suitable silencing material. Thus, when one of the levers 37 is raised, as shown best in FIG. 10, to release the latch, the lever arm 42 moves the element 43 into engagement with the rocker arm 35 and thereby raises the release rod 28. At the same time, downward movement of either lever 37 below horizontal is prevented by the engagement of the members 43 with the pad 44 resting on the rigid casing member 45. We prefer to employ a thin piece of rubber or soft plastic 44 as a pad for preventing noise when the levers 37 are manipulated, but such pad does not interfere with the function of the levers 37 is providing a rigid support against downward movement substantially past horizontal when a patient rests his hands or body against the levers.

In the above-described structure, the table 12 extends laterally from the outer column C while the unlocking levers 37 extend from the column C at a point opposite the laterally-extending table 12 and they are in a position where they may be grasped by the nurse in adjusting the position of the table, while at the same time should the patient standing alongside the table lean against the levers, they remain firm against downward movement. At the same time, the levers are readily accessible for raising to release the mechanism.

In the operation of the structure, the outer column C may be raised freely by any pressure exerted against the bottom of the table or upon the column C, the latch 26 yielding as column C moves upwardly. The latch 26, however, automatically, under the force of spring 31, holds the outer column C against downward movement. When it is desired to release the locking latch 26, this is accomplished by raising one or both of the levers 37, thus bringing the nylon lift element 43 upwardly against the rocker arm 35 and raising the release rod 28. The constant tension springs 19 provide a stabilizing force which counterbalances the weight of the member C so as to permit free movement of the column C on inner column B. Inner column B moves freely also within the outer column C by means of the anti-friction rollers 15.

While in the foregoing specification, we have set out a specific structure in considerable detail for the purpose of illustrating an embodiment of the invention, it will be understood that such details may be varied widely by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of our invention.

We claim:

1. In an overbed table structure having a base, an inner column mounted on said base, an outer column telescopically receiving said inner column, a channel table top support extending laterally from one side of said outer column, a table top carried by said support, the improvement which comprises a floating bar carried in a vertical plane on said inner column and supported for lateral movement, a back-up block fixed on said outer column adjacent one side of said bar, a latch bar pivotally mounted on said outer column and having a toothed edge tilted downwardly for wedging engagement with the other side of said bar, spring means engaging said outer column and outer portion of said latch bar for normally maintaining said latch edge against said bar but yielding when said outer column is moved upwardly, a release rod also engaging the outer end of said latch member and having an upper end extending into the upper portion of said outer column, and lever means extending from the end of said outer column and engaging said rod for raising said rod to release said latch, said rod being supported by a rocker arm mounted in the top of said outer column and said lever means being equipped with an actuating member for raising said rocker arm and said rod when the lever means is moved upwardly.

2. The structure of claim 1 in which said outer column is equipped with means for restricting downward movement of said lever means below a horizontal position.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,188,986 6/1965 Vigne 108136 3,194,187 7/1965 Linder, et al. 108-146 3,310,008 3/1967 Aleksa 108146 3,314,384 4/1967 Mann, et al. 108l46 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,032,919 6/1966 Great Britain.

BOBBY R. GAY, Primary Examiner.

GLENN O. FI'NCH, Assistant Examiner. 

